# Draw arrows on curves tikz

I have created a tikz plot for which I would now like to plot arrows on to show direction of flow. The current code used is:

\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw[thick, ->] (0, -3) -- (0, 3) node [black, anchor=south] {$y$};
\draw[thick, ->] (-3, 0) -- (3, 0) node [black, anchor=west] {$x$};
\draw[scale=1,domain=0.33:3,smooth,variable=\x,black, thick] plot ({\x},{1/\x});
\draw[scale=1,domain=-3:-0.33,smooth,variable=\x,black, thick] plot ({\x},{1/\x});
\draw[scale=1,domain=0.33:3,smooth,variable=\x,black, thick] plot ({\x},{-1/\x});
\draw[scale=1,domain=-3:-0.33,smooth,variable=\x,black, thick] plot ({\x},{-1/\x});
\end{tikzpicture}


Which produces the image

Now I want to add arrows onto each line separately. I require the direction of the arrow to be given by me (in the case I would like to use this in another example. They should occur at approximately half way through the curve. An example:

Something like this?

    \documentclass[border=3mm,
tikz,
preview
]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.markings,decorations.pathmorphing}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{scope}[decoration={markings,
mark=at position 0.25 with {\arrow[blue,very thick]{>}},
mark=at position 0.75 with {\arrowreversed[blue,very thick]{>}}}
]
\draw[postaction={decorate},thick,->] (0, -3) -- (0,3) node [black,above] {$y$};
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}[decoration={markings,
mark=at position 0.25 with {\arrowreversed[blue,very thick]{>}},
mark=at position 0.75 with {\arrow[blue,very thick]{>}}}
]
\draw[postaction={decorate},thick,->] (-3, 0) -- (3,0) node [black,right] {$x$};
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}[decoration={markings,
mark=at position 22mm with {\arrow[red,very thick]{>}}}
]
\draw[postaction={decorate},thick] plot[domain=0.33:3]      (\x,{1/\x});
\draw[postaction={decorate},thick] plot[domain=-0.33:-3]    ({\x},{1/\x});
\draw[postaction={decorate},thick] plot[domain=0.33:3]      (\x,{-1/\x});
\draw[postaction={decorate},thick] plot[domain=-0.33:-3]    (\x,{-1/\x});
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


Edit: In the first try I didn't care for arrows direction yet nor add them to the coordinate axis. Now this is corrected. To obtain different direction of arrows, I define decorations in scope separate for each coordinate axis and separate for curves. For them I reverse domains for two of them, that the arrows have right direction.

• The arrow directions are incorrect in the second and third quadrants, also I want arrows on the axes too. Looks good so far though! – user2850514 Nov 18 '15 at 20:24
• I now, I correct this in edit of my answer. But anyway, you see a wayy, hoe to obtain arrows ... :-) – Zarko Nov 18 '15 at 20:28
• Awesome, thank you for the effort - exactly what I wanted! – user2850514 Nov 18 '15 at 20:35